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Show j DR. nE COSTA GIVES REASONS HE TELLS WHY HE LEFT THE EPISCOPAL CKUKCH. A Situation Which Cannot Be Juggled Jug-gled Away Protestantism Riven Different Doctrines In Same Sect. Under the title, "A Farewell Letter to a Member of the Protestant Episcopal Episco-pal Laity," Dr. B. F. De Costa, the famous fa-mous New York preacher, pave to the press last week a statement in which he declares his formal severance of all relations with the Protestant Episcopal Church. His resignation from the ministry min-istry of that faith had Jeft him still in the fold as a layman. Now even that relation is no more, ' Dr. De Costa's leaving the Episcopal Church has created a profound sensation. sensa-tion. -k ' j The letter, after pointing out the ne- I cessity of elaborating' some of the points touched upon in his formal resignation from the ministry, continues: con-tinues: "I have laid many difficulties connected con-nected with the subject before Bishops, clergy, and laity all over the country, through privately printed papers, but without any of the hoped-for results. All acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, but fail to point out any remedy. The situation has now become unenrdable. and I : cannot conscientiously conscien-tiously remain. Do not fancy, however, that I have any fears abput the Bible or Christianity. I have always welcomed wel-comed genuine criticism and historical inquiry. But criticism has come to be uncritical. It forms largely an agreement agree-ment between Herod and Pilate, a case of Tom Paine masquerading in the garb of the rabbi. THE SITUATION ALARMING. :- "I hope that all my old friends who can stand by in good faith may vdo so, at least until they can find something btter. I could not consent to their abandonment of the Episcopal scheme without first having a prospect of something better. One. of the most eminent and best balanced of your Bishops says that the situation fills him with 'alarm,' while another, sadly recognizing the truth, says, despairingly, despair-ingly, 'There will be no improvement in your day or mine.' "The situation is thus portrayed by a v riter who is looking on, studying the condition of the Church: " 'One clergyman may teach the doctrine doc-trine of the Real Presence or assure his flock that he possesses the power of priestly absolution. But in the next parish if in a large city, only a block or two distant, perhaps the clergy man in charge will deny both of these doctrines, and teach his people that they ak-e false and unscrlpturat. ' Yet both these men are authorized teachers of religion in the Protestant Episcopal Church, with equal- official authority. The Bishop may happen to agree with one or the other. He can do as he likes in the matter." "The situation cannot be made good with whitewash or juggled away. It should rather, if you are able, be met honestly and dealt with. To put on rich robes, assume an air of authority, and advocate the change of name to that of 'The Catholic Church in America," Amer-ica," forms simply a ghastly farce. Multitudes Mul-titudes of clergy, after persevering awhile, and preaching strongly about our 'Catholic heritage,' have rendered their obedience to Rome. A Catholic heritage forms a Catholic faith, not a collection of discordant and heretical opinions. RIVEN BY SECTS. "Today Protestantism is riven by sects. The Church of England, as the result of 'Blessed Reformation," be-came be-came the fruitful mother of about 130 s?cts, nearly all of which have been - - reproduced in this country. All are-at war with one another, and inside the Episcopal denomination a hot fight of faction goes on, the Bishops havintr , no recognized authority for regulating matters which distinctly belong to an episcopate. In truth, we have no episcopate epis-copate any more than a standard of ; doctrine. ""Under the circumstances, does it appear at all strange that multitudes should be asking if this body really forms a "branch of the Catholic Church? "At the same time Cranmer and Ridley Rid-ley clubs have done their best to empty . Anglican orders of all suspicion of 'sacerdotalism,' and purge the sacraments sacra-ments of the spiritual value and sig-' sig-' r.iticance claimed for them by ritua.l- ists. denying that the reformers held i ' or made any sacerdotal claims in connection con-nection with their 'Blessed Reformation,' Reforma-tion,' and declaring that we have no episcopal line m accordance with trie ideas of the pro-Reformation period. All this is c!in"hed by the consecration consecra-tion of men to the American Episcopate like the late Dr. Brooks, who deny the sacerdotal claim, teaching that the office of a Congregational minister is quite as authoritative. STABBING THE HEART OF CHRIST "You and I know those of the clergy and laity who frankly say that they will not quibble about mere words, and that they accept the Real Presence. Now, if the doctrine be true, it must follow that the Mass is the greatest of all truths, apart from the Divine immanence. im-manence. Indeed, the Mass must form' the corporate expression of that immanence. im-manence. If true, to deny it is profane. pro-fane. It constitutes a sacrilegious affront af-front to the glorified body of the Eternal Eter-nal Son of God. Please notice that this is the language of your school, and observe ob-serve that this is a stab at the heart of Christ. So keenly is this felt that, as you know, guilds have been formed one of whose objects is to offer reparation repara-tion to Almighty God for indgnities done in the whole Anglican body to your sacrament. I "Ritualists feel the ignominy" and shame of the situation and ought to appreciate ap-preciate the guilt they incur on their principles. In contrast with ritualism, rationalism Is strongly intrenched and is very bold. It has well night destroyed the value of the Bible as a text book in Sunday schools and as an authority m sermons. The Bible of our forefathers fore-fathers has departed, and the men who imieach it hold places of hiph influence and power. Spetics of various grades and discontented men are now being welcomed into the Church, which promises prom-ises to become, in due time, a veritable Cave of Adullam. "Did or did we not sell our heritage at the time of the 'Blessed Reformation' Reforma-tion' for a mass of pottage? The semi-Arian semi-Arian and Pantheist explain awaywhat re claimed as "Catholic verities' unmolested, unmo-lested, and 'advanced' men tacitly recognize re-cognize that the bulk of the clergy cannot can-not be trusted to stand at their altars. So, likewise, "higher criticism' will not tolerate 'superstition,' either in pulpit or chancel. REAL AND INVENTED CHRIST. "Between the various schools there is a recognized incompatibility, an 'irrepressible 'ir-repressible conflict ' It is neology against neology. As stated in a recent formon by a leading rector of this city (Dr. Dix). it is a case of the real Christ against the invented Christ a Christ 1hat Paul never preached, that the Twelve never heard of; a Christ not found in the Word of God; a Christ not able to save mankind. "Yes. I know what you will say. 'Let us be patic-nf and s.in.g 'Lead, kindly .Light.' But what can be the use of calling upon the light to lead when jou do not mean to follow? "Carlyle has written on the? subject of clothes, and we have among us. on the one hand, a body of men in Catholic Catho-lic garb, with holy water, confessional penance and genuflections, offering Rome the flattery of imitation while withholding obedience: on the other hand, the whilom Calvinist, now shorn of his -.'degrees' with a dress shading off into business suits, or pearl-colored trouscre, expansive shirt fronts and smart cravats, the symbols of a flashy Protestantism carping at Bible, faith, discipline, orders, sacraments. "The cowl does not make the monk, but clothes for man index to mental and moral conditions, while a thousand altars and chancels, strewn with sale-ratus sale-ratus bread crumbs, cast a Zwinglian protest at the sacramentarian. Can these things co-exist in a branch of the Catholic church? As a matter of history, his-tory, the structure is crumbling about us. Many all over the land are deserting desert-ing the Church; missionary societies are toppling. IMMORAL TO 'REMAIN. "Is a place in such a body a place for me? With my views of the situation, to remain, would be immoral. "We are indeed told that similar conditions con-ditions exist among all Protestant bodies, which is quite true, and practically practi-cally Episcopalians have put themselves them-selves on their level. Episcopalians have vied with 'them in catering to the skepticism of the day. The Church is a safe harbor even for men whom they will not tolerate. The confidence of a large portion of the people has been shaken by their religious teachers, and far and wide we see men and women, once zealous for religion, who cannot now be persuaded to enteo a church. The Babel of tongues has confused . them. An enormous proportion of the names in parish registers represent non-attendants, who say that they ' have 'no use for the church,' Discip- line is dead. Ecclesiastical police pro- tection shelters the preacher of un- , truth. i "The Episcopal body is afflicted not with a case of simple blood poisoning, but inerabieable leprosy. The situation can never be recovered by the griev- ings of the 'wise" or the 'ventral grumb- 4 ling' of the -judicious.' Still, my bro- 4 thers, if you will, keep your place in 4 your boat, singing 'Lead, Kindly Light,-' until it rots and sends you to the bot- , torn. It would be better, however, to j steer for some good port. HE SEEKS THE TRUTH. "You may say that I am prejudiced J against Protestantfem. It is true that j I see the wreck it has wrought. Never- 4 theless, I was reared with intense pre- -i judice against the Roman Catholic H Church, even though the convent of my 4 near kinswoman was burned over her 1 head at Mount Benedict by a mob of . Boston Protestants. It was a prejudice that has long done duty, and which served me in good stead, season on sea- son, as I lingered in Rome and strolled 4 innumerable times 'through St. Peter's A and the Vatican. Yet, perhaps, I have 4 never passed from under the hallowed ,j spell woven around me by Pio Nono, when he stood in his audience chamber "7 gentle, benignant, holy and gave me his blessing. If I am prejudiced, I can only hope that it is in favor of truth -4 and righteousness. 4 "With unabated love for all my old 4 friends, whether they think as I do or not, I am, very faithfully, your brother, "7 "B. F. DE COSTA. " "New York. St. Luke's Day. 1S99." " |